WESTFIELD – The License Committee will recommend that the City Council extend for a year a special permit for an indoor place of amusement, which lapsed late last year, after a 45-minute meeting Tuesday night.
The committee members met with Ron Cappa, who is attempting to reopen a bowling alley at 11-13 Church Street, formerly the Romani candle pin bowling facility. Cappa has been working to reopen that business since 2011.
The City Council originally approved the two-year special permit on Dec. 4, 2012.
Ward 6 Councilor Christopher Crean, License Committee chairman, said the special permit is an entirely different issue than the Westfield Redevelopment Authority’s attempt to acquire the Romani property for future construction of a multi-story parking garage.
The WRA was poised to take the property, including the bowling alley, by eminent domain with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding but ongress included language in the authorizing legislation which prohibits the use of CDBG land acquisition by eminent domain.
The CDBG funds can be used for a “friendly” purchase of property but the Romani family, 12 members who have a financial interest, could not agree on a price for the property. The city is now using the $200,000, intended to purchase the bowling alley, to purchase a building on Center Street from Berkshire Bank. The building on that property will be demolished and an off-street parking lot will be constructed.
“So the WRA is back to square one and has to find another funding source,” Crean said. “Who knows how long that process will take.”
The committee members pressed Cappa for the reason he failed to act on the original special permit and why he online casino failed to secure an occupancy permit needed to open his business.
Cappa said that he was ready to open the business in 2012, but oil was discovered in a sewer near the business. Cappa said that the Department of Environmental protection became involved in remediating that oil contamination.
Cappa said that remediation included tearing out the concrete basement floor and removing contaminated soil.
“I’m into this for $100,000,” Cappa said. “I paid $3,000 for a new furnace that is still not hooked up, there is no water service. I have to start all over again.”
Crean chided Cappa on the fact that he never did “your due diligence in requesting an environmental study before you leased the property.”
Cappa requested that the special permit, which expired on Dec. 4, 2014, be extended by the City Council in a letter sent to City Councilor President Brian Sullivan in April.
“We have to have good cause to recommend to the City Council that this (special permit) License be extended,” Crean said. “I don’t want to set a precedent if some other business comes in with a similar situation. I feel bad for you, but we have a process.”
“The best we can do for you now because it’s September, 2015, is give you an extension for one year, then you’d have to come back,” Crean said.
The Committee voted 3-0 to give the City Council a positive recommendation for an extension of one year for the special permit at the Oct. 1 City Council session.
